Tailored immunity by skin antigen-presenting cells

Abstract

Skin vaccination aims at targeting epidermal and dermal antigen-presenting cells (APCs), indeed many subsets of different origin endowed with various functions populate the skin. The idea that the skin could represent a particularly potent site to induce adaptive and protective immune response emerged after the success of vaccinia virus vaccination by skin scarification. Recent advances have shown that multiple subsets of APCs coexist in the skin and participate in immunity to infectious diseases. Induction of an adaptive immune response depends on the initial recognition and capture of antigens by skin APCs and their transport to lymphoid organs. Innovative strategies of vaccination have thus been developed to target skin APCs for tailored immunity, hence this review will discuss recent insights into skin APC subsets characterization and how they can shape adaptive immune responses.

Keywords: :

• skin
• dendritic cell subsets
• Langerhans cell
• vaccination
• cutaneous route of immunization
• immune response

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by EU-FP7 health program CUT’HIVAC “Cutaneous and Mucosal HIV Vaccination” and Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM).